Characterizing the local vectorial electric field near an atom chip using Rydberg state spectroscopy

We use the sensitive response to electric fields of Rydberg atoms to characterize all three vector components of the local electric field close to an atom-chip surface. We measured Stark-Zeeman maps of $S$ and $D$ Rydberg states using an elongated cloud of ultracold Rubidium atoms ($T\sim2.5$ $\mu$K) trapped magnetically $100$ $\mu$m from the chip surface. The spectroscopy of $S$ states yields a calibration for the generated local electric field at the position of the atoms. The values for different components of the field are extracted from the more complex response of $D$ states to the combined electric and magnetic fields. From the analysis we find residual fields in the two uncompensated directions of $0.0\pm0.2$ V/cm and $1.98\pm0.09$ V/cm respectively. This method also allows us to extract a value for the relevant field gradient along the long axis of the cloud. The manipulation of electric fields and the magnetic trapping are both done using on-chip wires, making this setup a promising candidate to observe Rydberg-mediated interactions on a chip.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

The unseen world of Willem Schellinks: local milieu and global circulation in the visualization of Mughal India

Colonial and Global Histor

Rydberg dressing of a one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate

We study the influence of Rydberg-dressed interactions in a one-dimensional (1D) Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). We show that a 1D geometry offers several advantages over a three-dimensional geometry for observing BEC Rydberg dressing. The effects of dressing are studied by investigating collective BEC dynamics after a rapid switch-off of the Rydberg dressing interaction. The results can be interpreted as an effective modification of the s-wave scattering length. We include this modification in an analytical model for the 1D BEC and compare it to numerical calculations of Rydberg dressing under realistic experimental conditions.</p

Farm inputs under pressure from the European food industry

The rise of own-brand labels has made retailers more vulnerable and responsive to consumer concerns. In response to widespread protest, the European food industry has sought to exclude GM ingredients and to minimize pesticide usage from their supplies. In particular, retailers have developed common practices or criteria for non-GM grain and lower-pesticide methods. This cooperative approach has several aims: to maintain consumer confidence in product quality, to establish Europe-wide supply chains which meet common or minimum standards, to make supplies interchangeable, and to avoid competition for 'non-GM' or 'low-pesticide' products defined in various ways. The consequent pressures on farm inputs go beyond national boundaries, for both companies and farmers. Overall these commercial pressures favour non-GM products which help reduce chemical pesticide sprays – e.g. pest-resistant seeds, seed treatments, or biopesticides – especially for use as components of ICM methods. There remain many difficulties in basing future products upon other novel seeds. Such constraints go beyond any statutory restrictions on GM products or pesticides. Of course, government policy still influences the use and innovation of farm inputs in Europe. Conversely, however, cooperative efforts from the food industry there provide de facto criteria which could supersede or influence government policy

Milieubeleid in een veranderende context: zes voorbeelden

Environmen

Association of exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates with thyroid hormones in adolescents from HBM4EU aligned studies

Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates are synthetic chemicals widely used in various types of consumer products. There is epidemiological and experimental evidence that PFAS and phthalates may alter thyroid hormone levels; however, studies in children and adolescents are limited. Aim: To investigate the association of exposure to PFAS and phthalate with serum levels of thyroid hormones in European adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 406 female and 327 male adolescents (14–17 years) from Belgium, Slovakia, and Spain participating in the Aligned Studies of the HBM4EU Project (FLEHS IV, PCB cohort, and BEA, respectively). Concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured in sera from study participants, and urinary metabolites of six phthalates (DEP, DiBP, DnBP, BBzP, DEHP, and DiNP) and the non-phthalate plasticizer DINCH® were quantified in spot urine samples. Associations were assessed with linear regression and g-computational models for mixtures. Effect modification by sex was examined. Results: In females, serum PFOA and the PFAS mixture concentrations were associated with lower FT4 and higher FT3 levels; MEP and the sums of DEHP, DiNP, and DINCH® metabolites ( ∑DEHP, ∑DiNP, and ∑DINCH) were associated with higher FT4; ∑DEHP with lower FT3; and the phthalate/DINCH® metabolite mixture with higher FT4 and lower FT3. In males, PFOA was associated with lower FT4 and the PFAS mixture with higher TSH levels and lower FT4/TSH ratio; MEP and ∑DiNP were associated with higher FT4; and MBzP, ∑DEHP, and the phthalate/DINCH® metabolite mixture with lower TSH and higher FT4/TSH. PFOA, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (OH-MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (oxo-MEHP), and monocarboxyoctyl phthalate (MCOP) made the greatest contribution to the mixture effect. Conclusions: Results suggest that exposure to PFAS and phthalates is associated with sex-specific differences in thyroid hormone levels in adolescent

Designing a Virtual Hospital-at-Home Intervention for Patients with Infectious Diseases: A Data-Driven Approach

BACKGROUND: Virtual hospital-at-home care might be an alternative to standard hospital care for patients with infectious diseases. In this study, we explore the potential for virtual hospital-at-home care and a potential design for this population. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of internal medicine patients suspected of infectious diseases, admitted between 1 January and 31 December 2019. We collected information on delivered care during emergency department visits, the first 24 h, between 24 and 72 h, and after 72 h of admission. Care components that could be delivered at home were combined into care packages, and the potential number of eligible patients per package was described. The most feasible package was described in detail. RESULTS: 763 patients were included, mostly referred for general internal medicine (35%), and the most common diagnosis was lower respiratory tract infection (27%). The most frequently administered care components were laboratory tests, non-oral medication, and intercollegiate consultation. With a combination of telemonitoring, video consultation, non-oral medication administration, laboratory tests, oxygen therapy, and radiological diagnostics, 48% of patients were eligible for hospital-at-home care, with 35% already eligible directly after emergency department visits. CONCLUSION: While the potential for virtual hospital-at-home care is high, it depends greatly on which care can be arranged